The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-03-26


The first date on the latter side is plain. while
the third figure in the last, under glass, looks
like faulty s. though to the naked eye it ap-
pears to be q 3. Some doubt as to the genuineness
of the tablet is expressed, the ground that
the art of separating gold from gravel, or placer
mining, was not known at that date; also, that
it is preposterous believe that seven men could
In one or TWO seasons take out all the gold they
could carry. 1t is moro than probable that the
dates are meant for 1853 and 1854 though we
are told that Father De Smet acknowledged to
having seen GOLD from the Black Hills as far
back as 1928. In the early parts Of the fifties
several parties bound for California passed to the
westward and in sight of the Hills. In 1857 Mr.
A. J. Poznansky, then a boy in Omaha, saw and
talked with two Welchmen who had been picked
up in this vicinity by returning party Of Cali
fornians, being the survivors of squad of nine
They had with them Sc 900 in Black Hills gold.
Before that the Sioux had frequently sold gold
to Missouri river captains, carrying the same in
buckskin sacks, such as used by white men,
but would not tell where or how
they got it, simply pointing westward.
conversation with Mr.. Kingsbury, said he knew
of a place in the Black Hills whore gold could
be had in abundance, describing the place SO &C
curately that Mr.. Kngsbury readily recognized
1t more than stwenty years afterward in the
locality covered by two of the richest claims on
Sand creek. These facts prove that it was not
impossible for the party to have taken out all
the gold they could carry" which. under the
five to thirty pounds. So 900 to Sc 900 apiece
1t is presumable that their Indian guide would
take them to the richer pockets known to his
people. In 1867. one man on French creek
took out little over $40 000 in TITS, another
one in Rockervie washed out with rocker be-
tween $4,000 and $4,000; several claims in
Deadwood guich. at least two claims Gold
run, and on Bobtail, to our personal knowl-
edge, were rich enough to have yielded the guam
titv of gold named in the time given In 1879
we saw four pounds of coarse gold taken from
an abandoned claim on Gold run, in short day.
by two not over-industrious boys It was
from just such rich pockets or deposits that the
Indians got their gold.
The draw in which the tablet was concealed is
admirably adapted for concealment from pur
suers, being six or eight feet deep at the point
| of discovery, the banks rising to height of
twenty to twenty-five feet nearer the foot of the
| Hill, and covered with heavy growth of brush,
q steep natural path leading down from beyond
| the high hillr
| Mr.. r. H. Evans and party of the Montana
ans. who first settled in the valley, found a num-
| Der of camp utensils cached or buried on Look
| out, not far from the above point, frying pan
and knife being in good state of preservation
| though bearing evidences of having been buried
| there for years.
| Down the Spearfsh, in plain sight of Lookout,
| was one of the favorite camping grounds of the
| Indians, who would naturally be in this vicinity
| in June, when deer and antelope would be album
dant in the neighboring valleys. Ever on the
| alert, they would readily detect the presence of
a small party Of the hated white men, which,
J once discovered, could scafcsiSs hone e. escaDe
| The tablet is the most valuable, as we'll as the
| most interesting yet made in the Hills. giving,
| as it does clews that may lead to more know-
! edge of the unfortunate men whose melancholy
] fate is recorded